Berlin – Commercial law firm CMS Germany is updating its remuneration model for lawyers with effect from 1 January 2022. CMS has decided not only to increase salaries, but also to make the overall model more modern, more transparent and more attractive. The new model involves the following salaries:
* Figures in thousands of euros a year.
Fixed salaries for graduate hires will thus see an increase of EUR 10,000 a year. The increase is even higher for lawyers with more professional experience, amounting to up to EUR 30,000 a year. In addition to a fixed salary, lawyers will receive bonuses based on their personal performance.
Dr Hubertus Kolster, Managing Partner at CMS: “We are deliberately choosing not to join in the competition to offer the highest starting salary. We firmly believe that young professionals’ decisions are driven not only by fair compensation, but also by the nature of the work itself, along with the atmosphere, breadth of professional training and career prospects. That’s why we decided early this year to offer a carefully considered overall package.”
“When we presented our new approach internally in the autumn, the feedback was consistently very positive. It’s also clear from our job interviews that salary alone isn’t the crucial factor when starting out as a lawyer, the overall package is what matters,” added Dr Andrea Bonanni, who regularly conducts job interviews as Human Resources partner at CMS.
CMS introduced a strategy to support new work styles this year. Remote and flexible working is an integral part of CMS’s corporate culture and a mark of mutual trust. CMS avoids rigid rules in this context. All lawyers are allowed to work outside the office for up to 50% of the working hours agreed in their contract. After consultation within their teams, they can decide which days they will work remotely, and which in the office. With this new work strategy, CMS is aiming to strike a balance between physical presence and flexibility.
“We are intentionally not switching completely to working from home. On-site attendance is important for our firm’s long-term success. It is part of our CMS culture, essential for the quality of our work and consequently for our competitiveness as a leading law firm, for training purposes and, last but not least, for team spirit,” explained Dr Hubertus Kolster.
Almost a fifth of CMS’s legal professionals opt for a part-time career, either when joining the firm or at a later date. When considering individual career development, CMS treats 80% part-time employment as full time. Lawyers working part-time are regularly appointed as new partners.
The CMS Academy offers a wide-ranging training programme to develop and enhance lawyers’ skills at CMS. All events are delivered by experienced internal and external trainers and coaches. The CMS Academy offers both in-person and online training sessions.
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